Adidas Adizero Adios Boost, $140

Fit: Built like a racing flat, the Adizero Adios Boost has a traditionally secure fit in the heel and midfoot but a more modern fit in the forefoot with a bit of room for the toes to wiggle.

Feel: Spry, light, low to the ground and mildly springy (in a good way), this shoe feels so energetic you might think it’s highly caffeinated. It features Adidas’ responsive new Boost foam, which offers amazing resilience and energy return, and a low-profile geometry similar to previous Adios models.

Ride: More than any other model in this review, this shoe exudes and inspires speed. There’s not much under the foot, but the heightened responsiveness of the foam makes it feel like plenty, especially for faster workouts and short-distance races. “The new foam puts quite a spring in your step,” remarked one of our wear-testers.

Brian Metzler

Brian Metzler is the editor-in-chief of Competitor magazine. He has run more than 60,000 miles in his life, tested more than 1,200 pairs of running shoes, raced every distance from 50 yards to 100 miles and completed two Ironman triathlons. Email him at bmetzler@competitorgroup.com.